Featured Artist: Moutchy
DBH: Where are you from?
Moutchy: I am from Quebec, Canada
DBH: What's the origin of your artist name?Moutchy: That is so silly. When I created my first email address, I made up that funny word (pronounced moo-chee), which doesn't mean anything at all. I just thought it was fast to type and easy to remember. After that it just sort of stuck.
DBH: How would you best describe your art style?
Moutchy: That's a tricky question. I do a lot of commission artworks and I often need to adapt to my client's needs, so I do lots of different things. Sometimes I look at my portfolio and I find it too "all over the place". But I also think being able to work in various styles is a strong asset. Even with my personal work, I like to use different styles; it always depends on what best suits the concept.
DBH: Where do you find your inspiration when creating your art?
Moutchy: I don't know where it comes from exactly, it's just something that finds me; I have this idea in my head and I just really feel like painting it, or drawing it. Sometimes, if I can't find the time to do it for whatever reason, after a while I don't even feel like doing anymore -most likely the reason being that I have new ideas that I want to do in that moment.
I think inspiration comes from everything around us: movies, photographs, artworks that we see, nature, things we experience, stories we share. All that stuff stays in the brain and stews for a while. Then, sometimes something great comes out of that hot brain soup!
DBH: When did you know you wanted to make a career in the art world?
Moutchy: It might be cliché, but I've always wanted to be an artist, as far as I can remember. When I was maybe 6 or 7, they asked us in school to draw ourselves as what we wanted to be as grown-ups, and I remember clearly drawing myself as a fully stereotyped artist, in front of an easel, with the typical French beret and Salvador Dali-like mustache (although I had no idea who Dali was back then).
DBH: What does a day of creating artwork look like for you and how do you start your creative process?
Moutchy: I am very lucky to be able to work full time as a freelance illustrator. I work from home and do pretty much everything from my computer, which is perfect for me, being the asocial cat that I am. Being your own boss is nice, but you have to be disciplined.
As for my creative process, a mental image always comes first, and I tend to stick with that image. Even when it's a commissioned piece, I rarely submit many sketches to my clients because I picture this concept in my head and that's how I want to do it. I'm stubborn like that. Of course, when I'm asked to make changes, I'll do it, even if it can be a little reluctantly. Sometimes it's for the best though; it can be good to have someone to challenge your ideas and get you out of your comfort zone.
Anyway, so I have this mental image. I start with a very crude sketch. Then, I take some reference pictures and do researches if necessary. Next step is to make a clean outline sketch, and I deal with colors last. After that, it's just detailing and rendering -which is also the longest part.
DBH: What artist (either current or past) do you most admire and why?
Moutchy: I think that would be Boris Vallejo. I'm especially fond of his work from the late 70s, early 80s. When I first discovered his work (I was around 18), those images had a big impact on me, and when I found out that he used oil painting, that's when I started working with oil.
DBH: What's the best advice that's been given to you as an artist?
Moutchy: I guess it would be: "Never be content being better than the average; always aim at the top, trying to be better than the best, and never stop working to improve and learn." My painting teacher said that, or something like that at least.
Shop all of Moutchy designs here!
